The Weight You Carry
by Rachel Wilder
Summary: She had done so good during the light of day, but at night, when the dreams came, she always ended up at that moment when her heart dropped. Caleb Rand was standing in front of her, his face filled with pain. "I have some bad news." And every single time, she feared the worst. Take place during the period between the season 3 finale and season 4 premiere.
1. Prologue

"I have some bad news."

Rayna sat up in bed, looked over at the empty spot next to her and sighed. She'd had the dream every single night since Deacon's surgery. She heard the faucet run in the bathroom and then the light switched off.

"Babe, you okay?" she asked.

There was silence, then Deacon appeared at the door from their master bath. "I'm okay, just movin' a little slow," he said as he shuffled over to the bed and eased himself down. He let out a sigh and then gingerly crawled back into the bed. "I guess I kind of feel like someone sawed me in half and pulled out my insides."

Rayna moved closer to him, her hand on his shoulder, then down his arm. "Babe, I don't ever want another night when you aren't here next to me. I couldn't handle it. When Caleb came...when he said something bad had happened...and I hate that I feel this way because I'm so sorry about what's happened with Beverly, but Deacon...if I lost you…" She began to cry.

"It's okay, babe," Deacon said, soothing her. "It's okay."

She had done so good during the light of day, but at night, when the dreams came, she always ended up at that moment when her heart dropped.

Caleb Rand was standing in front of her, his face filled with pain. "I have some bad news."

And every single time, she feared the worst.

* * *

 _ **Much more to come soon...**_


	2. Chapter 1

She looked at the doctor and shook her head. "No. No," as she tried to process what he had just said to her.

Dr. Rand reached out, putting his hand on her arm. "Where is Scarlett? I need to speak to both of you."

Rayna stood by silently as he led her to a smaller room next to the waiting room. She looked up at the sound of the elevator opening. Scarlett walked out, searching for Caleb, Gunnar trailing behind her.

"Caleb? I got your text," Scarlett said as she ran toward them.

"Please, can you both come in here," the doctor said, holding open the door to the private consultation room.

Rayna looked up, her eyes not seeing clearly, sounds rushing through her ears.

"Go, I'll stay with the girls," Gunnar said as tears began to form in Rayna's eyes. She nodded and followed Caleb and Scarlett into the room.

* * *

"What happened? What happened to Deacon?" Rayna cried out as she came in the room.

Scarlett stood very still next to Caleb. "It isn't Deacon," she said quietly. "It's my momma."

Rayna looked at them both. "What? What's happening."

Caleb took a deep breath. "We're not completely sure. The team had done the liver procurement and started the transplant. Deacon was tolerating the surgery well, as was Beverly, but as they were preparing to close she crashed. Her heart stopped and they had to work to resuscitate her.

Rayna moved over and took Scarlett in her arms.

"The team worked on her and they were able to restart her heart. We're not sure what happened, but it looks like she may have had an aneurysm."

"Will she recover?" Rayna asked.

Caleb shook his head. "At this point, we don't know. We have to wait and see when...and if...she wakes up. I'm terribly sorry."

"But Deacon?" Scarlett asked, as she wiped tears away from her eyes.

"Deacon is still in surgery but he's doing very well," Caleb replied. "It'll probably be a couple more hours, then he'll be in the recovery room and then we'll move him to the ICU. You can go see him as soon as we get him settled in there."

"And how long will he be in the ICU?" Rayna asked.

"It depends on how he responds to the anesthetic, the surgery, the new liver, but I would expect he'd be there about 48 hours."

"Can I see my momma?" Scarlett asked.

Caleb nodded. "They're moving her up to the ICU as well. We can go see her now."

Rayna watched as Caleb and Scarlett left the room. She stood there, stunned by what had happened, when there was a knock at the door.

"Rayna," Gunnar said as he stuck his head around the corner.

"Yes, Gunnar," she replied, trying to force a smile on her face and into her voice.

"Uh, I think you'd better come out here. Uh...it's your...it's the mayor. It's all over the TV. He's been arrested."

* * *

Rayna rushed back to the waiting room where Daphne and Maddie sat on the couch, watching the news report. They kept showing the same clip, over and over, of Teddy being walked from City Hall, his hands cuffed together.

"Mom?" Daphne said, turning to her with tears in her eyes. "What's happening."

Rayna rushed into the room, taking her youngest in her arms. "I don't know, baby."

"What about Dad?" Maddie asked. "The doctor...is everything okay?"

Rayna nodded. "Yes, it's...your dad is fine. He's still in surgery, but he's doing just fine." She looked over at where Gunnar was standing near the door. "Girls, can you just give me a minute? Gunnar will be right here, if you need anything."

Rayna stepped out into the hall and called Teddy's cell phone. It went directly to voicemail. She called Bucky.

"Have you seen the news?" she asked as soon as he answered.

"Yes," Bucky replied. "I didn't want to bother you while you were at the hospital. How's Deacon?"

"Uh...fine...still in surgery," Rayna replied. "Can you...can you find out what's happening?"

"Sure, Ray," Bucky replied. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Rayna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was time to call Tandy. "Can you...can you call Tandy and arrange for her to come? I just...I need to be here, with the girls and then Deacon's going to need me and…"

"No, I can do it, Ray. No worries," Bucky replied. "Just focus on your family. I'm thinking of you and Deacon and the girls."

"Thanks, Buck," Rayna said as she hung up. She went back into the room and motioned for Gunnar to come out into the hall with her.

"Thanks for being with them," Rayna said. "My sister is coming, so they'll have someone, but I wanted to let you know that things did not go as we expected with Scarlett's mother."

"How do you mean?" Gunner asked.

"She...her heart stopped during the surgery and right now, well, right now they don't know what it might mean," Rayna tried to explain.

"Oh," Gunnar said, his eyes drifting to the floor. He looked back up at Rayna. "When did it happen?"

Rayna shrugged. "I'm not sure. I guess shortly before Caleb came to tell us."

"Oh," Gunnar repeated, nodding. "I...uh, tell Scarlett that if she needs anything…"

"I will, Gunnar," Rayna said, reaching her hand out to touch his arm. "I'll be sure to tell her."

"And if you need anything, too, just let me know," Gunnar said.

Rayna nodded. "Thank you."

"Okay...I'm gonna...I think I'll just…" Gunnar started to awkwardly ease down the hallway.

Rayna stood for a moment, then went back into the waiting room. Daphne was still on the couch watching the TV. Maddie was sitting across the room from her, on her phone.

"C'mere, girls," she said as she called them back toward her. Maddie ended her call and Daphne muted the television and came over to her. She pulled them into her arms. "I love you both, so much."

She held the girls as they clung to her. Daphne finally stepped back from her embrace.

"What's happening to Dad?" she asked.

Rayna smoothed her hand down Daphne's long straight hair. "I'm not quite sure, honey. I talked to Bucky and he's going to try to find out. I know it's really scary right now, but I need to talk to you girls about something else."

She led them back to the couch, reached for the remote control and turned off the muted television.

"Something is wrong with Dad," Maddie said, her voice quiet.

Rayna shook her head. "No, it's not your dad. It's your Aunt Bev. She...there was a complication during her surgery and we don't know what it means right now. We have to wait and see if and when she wakes up, but it's very sad for Scarlett and it will be very, very hard for Deacon when he wakes up from his surgery.

"Bucky is calling your Aunt Tandy for me. I'm going to have her come out and stay with us, help us out. I know you're both going to be good support for each other and for Deacon, but we need all of our family around us right now. Okay?"

The girls nodded.

"I want to stay here," Maddie said.

"I know, honey, but it's going to be a long night and I think it would be best for both of you if you got out of here for a while."

"I want to be with you," Daphne said, pressing her body next to Rayna.

"Okay, we'll figure it out," Rayna replied.

* * *

Bucky scrolled through his contacts and pressed send. He waited for a moment, then heard Rayna's sister answer the call.

"Tandy?" he said. "It's Bucky...Bucky Dawes."

"I know...you're still in my phone, Bucky," Tandy said, a chuckle in her voice. "What can I do for you?"

Bucky paused. They had dated for a minute before Tandy had inexplicably cut things off, but maybe that was for the best. Rayna's relationship with her sister was complex, to say the least.

"Rayna asked if I would call...she...Tandy, she needs you to come back here, if you can."

"What's going on?" Tandy said, concern filling her voice. "Is it Deacon? Have things gotten worse? She didn't say anything when we talked last week."

Bucky tried to figure out what that meant...she clearly knew Deacon was sick, but had Rayna not told her about the transplant?

"Uh...he's fine, I guess. They...they did the transplant this morning, but I don't know if it hasn't hit the news out there, but they indicted Teddy on federal charges and arrested him."

"What?" Tandy exclaimed. "What transplant? And Teddy? What did he do?"

"She didn't tell you?" Bucky asked.

"Tell me what?" Tandy replied. "My sister said that Deacon was sick, that he had cancer. She was pretty noncommittal about what it was. So, what kind of cancer meant he had to have a transplant?"

"It's liver cancer, he had a liver transplant," Bucky explained. "But, Tandy, now isn't the time to rehash old wounds with either one of them. Deacon's sister donated part of her liver and there was a complication, maybe an aneurysm. So, you need to get on a plane and come be here for Rayna and the girls, so that she can focus on Deacon. Okay?"

Tandy was quiet for a moment. "Okay," she finally responded. "Let me check the flight schedules and I'll call you back."

"I have a ticket on hold for you," Bucky replied. "I'll see you when you get here."

* * *

The door opened and Caleb Rand walked in.

"Rayna?" he said as he stood in the doorway.

She got up, her heart dropping again, reminded of the last time he'd come to the door. What if it was something genetic and the same thing had happened to Deacon as they finished up his surgery? She couldn't. She couldn't. She couldn't.

"Everything went well," she heard him saying. She looked up at him and he was smiling and nodding.

"He's being taken up to ICU, but you can see him in about a half hour. Scarlett is up there in the waiting room if you want to head that way," Caleb explained.

Rayna nodded. "C'mon, girls, let's go and check on Scarlett and see Deacon."

Finally, maybe for one time, something good was happening.

* * *

 _ **Thank you for the initial reviews! I hope you enjoy...more to come soon. - Rachel**_


	3. Chapter 2

Rayna walked into the ICU. Deacon lay still in the bed, a breathing tube in his mouth, IVs and monitors and tubes coming from all different parts of his body. She moved close to the bed and slipped her hand in his. It was warm and felt like him.

"You did great, babe," she said as she leaned close to him. "You rest now and we'll all be here when you wake up. I love you." She moved closer and kissed his cheek, careful not to disturb the tube in his mouth.

Caleb stepped into the room.

"How long will he be on the ventilator?" Rayna asked as she brushed his hair back from his forehead.

"Most likely only a few more hours, as he comes out of the anesthesia. Everyone reacts differently, but as soon as he starts trying to breathe on his own, we'll pull the tube out," the doctor explained.

"Good," Rayna replied. "It's hard on the vocal chords. But he's doing okay?"

Caleb nodded. "Everything looks good at this point. Obviously, we will be watching him very carefully over the next 48 hours in the ICU and then it's going to be ten days or so on the transplant ward. We need to get his medications adjusted, watch for infection, other complications and spend some time with both of you making sure you understand about the immunosuppressants, the signs of rejection and other possible complications he might face."

"So we aren't actually out of the woods?" Rayna asked, looking over at him.

"We're in a different woods, now," Caleb replied. "This was his last chance. Without this surgery, he would have died. Probably in the next couple of months and it wouldn't have been a particularly easy death. Now, he has a new set of challenges and having you there as part of his support system is going to be crucial, especially with what's happened to his sister."

Rayna stepped away from the bed, toward the door. "I don't want to talk about that here. Can we step outside?"

Caleb followed her out into the hallway. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

Rayna shook her head. "No, I just...I was in a coma a couple of years ago and I don't want us talking about Beverly while he's unconscious. Even if he can't hear us, I felt like I was aware of what was happening around me."

"I'll make a note of that," Caleb replied. "And I agree, let's get him stable before we tell him what happened. My recommendation would be to wait until he's out of the ICU, if possible."

"Will he think we're keeping something from him?" Rayna asked. "I agree that we should wait, but he's going to ask about her."

"We can tell him that she's holding her own," Caleb responded. "He won't be thinking very clearly for the first day or so because of the painkillers and neither one of them would be able to get out of bed, so he wouldn't find it strange that he hasn't seen her. Once his condition is more stable and we know more about Beverly's condition, then it will be time to tell him. But, Rayna, we have to help keep his spirits up. Attitude is an important part of Deacon's recovery."

Rayna slowly nodded. "That's what I'm afraid of...because Deacon has a dark streak a mile wide and a thousand miles deep."

* * *

"How's he doing?"

Rayna looked up at the sound of Scarlett's voice. "He's doing well. They're waiting for him to wake up a little bit more before they pull the breathing tube out."

She pulled Scarlett close to her and hugged her, whispering into her ear. "How's your momma doing? Please don't say anything in front of Deacon in case he can hear us."

Scarlett nodded and rocked her hand back and forth, indicating things were so so. "Where are the girls?"

"In the waiting room. I tried to get them to leave, but they wouldn't until they could see Deacon," Rayna replied.

"Did you see Gunnar?" Scarlett asked.

Rayna nodded. "I gave him an update. I thought maybe he'd come up here to see you."

Scarlett shook her head. "I'm going back down the hall. Can you come find me when Deacon wakes up?"

"Of course, sweetie," Rayna replied.

* * *

Rayna sat in the corner in the chair a nurse had brought her. She was really only supposed to be here for a few minutes at a time, but she had promised to be quiet and let Deacon wake up at his own pace.

The monitor started to beep a bit faster and Deacon tried to raise his hand up from where they had put a soft restraint to prevent him from pulling out any of his tubes.

"Excuse us," the nurse said as she came in. "We'll need you to step out while we remove his breathing tube."

Rayna stepped into the hallway, standing at the door watching as another nurse and a doctor went into Deacon's room.

Rayna could see as they told him to take a deep breath and then blow the tube out. He gagged, then fell back against the bed. She stepped back into the room, taking care to not get in the way of the medical staff.

"Okay, Mr. Claybourne, let's put this cannula on you," the nurse said as she slid the prongs with oxygen into his nose. "You doing okay?"

Deacon began to nod, then moaned. Rayna stepped up to the bed, finding a free space on the far side where she could take his hand in hers.

"It's okay, babe," she said. Deacon tightened his hand around hers."I'm here. You did great."

She watched as the nurse explained to Deacon about the pain pump next to his bed. He started to shake his head.

"Babe, you need to use it. It'll help you get better. It's okay," Rayna soothed him.

"Girls?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"They're in the waiting room. I can bring them in for a minute, but you need to rest," Rayna replied.

"Please," Deacon whispered.

Rayna kissed him gently and went to the hallway to get the girls.

* * *

Deacon attempted to move slightly, but the pain crashed through him. He looked over at the pump, watching it count down and then pressed the button, releasing more medication. He felt the drugs wash over him, driving the pain away as the door opened up and Rayna walked in with Maddie and Daphne.

"Dad," Maddie said as she crossed to him and laid her head on his chest. She quickly picked it up. "Am I hurting you?"

"No," Deacon replied. He held his hand out. "C'mere, Daphne."

Daphne crossed to him and took his hand.

"Best medicine," Deacon said, his voice hoarse.

"Okay, give Deacon a hug and we need to let him rest," Rayna said.

The girls hugged him and Maddie gave him a tearful kiss on the cheek.

"We'll be back, soon, Dad," Maddie said as they left.

Rayna turned back to him, smoothing her hand down his face. "Okay, babe, I'm gonna let you sleep for a bit, okay?"

Deacon nodded. "Love you, Ray."

She leaned in and kissed him deeply. "Love you, too, babe."

She walked out of the room to find the girls in the hallway. "Just give me a minute and then we'll go find something to eat, okay?"

Both girls nodded and she excused herself to go down to the hall to the restroom. She locked the door and crossed to the stool where she sank down and began to sob. The tears wracked over her as she felt the relief of Deacon's survival wash over her, the fear of what he would do when he found out about Beverly and the anger of Teddy finding yet another way to mess things up.

She choked on a sob and brushed her hand across her face. She didn't need to let the girls see her so upset. And there could be no sign of it when she saw Deacon again. She had to be strong.

She choked again as she thought of how weak he looked. Deacon had been so strong for years, she hadn't seen him like this since he was broken down by his alcoholism. And it took her straight back to those years of the pain and fear.

He could have died. He could still die.

She started to cry again.

There was a knock on the door. She choked back the tears and got up. She walked over to the sink and ran the water, splashing it over her face. She looked in the mirror and sighed. She needed a shower.

"Mom?"

She heard Maddie's voice through the door.

"Just a minute, honey," she replied. She walked over the flushed the toilet she hadn't used and went to the sink again, washing her face one more time, hoping it would cover the fact that she'd been crying. She opened the door.

"How you doing, honey?" she asked her daughter.

"Okay," Maddie replied. "He still looks really sick."

She smoothed her hand over Maddie's hair. "He was in surgery for a long time. He'll look better the next time you see him. How's Daphne doing?"

"She wants to know what happened to Dad...Teddy," Maddie replied. "And Bucky's here."

Rayna looked down the hallway where Bucky stood with Daphne. "Okay."

She walked down the hallway. "Hey, Bucky. Thanks for stopping by." She leaned in and hugged her long-time manager.

"Thought I'd check in with you," he replied. "Hey, can we talk for a minute?"

She nodded, kissed Daphne on the forehead and stepped down the hallway with Bucky.

"So, Tandy will be here around 10 pm tonight. I'll pick her up and take her...to your house?"

Rayna nodded.

"Uh, I didn't realize she didn't know about the transplant, so, uh, she does now," Bucky stammered. "Sorry."

Rayna shook her head. "No, I should have told her. I just...I just didn't want to deal with her questions and the grief she'd give me and Deacon."

Bucky shrugged. "Give her a chance, maybe? Anyway, I also called a friend over at the Tennessean. He didn't have all of the details about Teddy's arrest, but it was a federal indictment involving embezzlement. They're holding him in the county jail right now, but I expect he'll be transferred before too long."

Rayna shook her head. "I remember this one time, when things first started coming out about Teddy and Peggy. I was at the park with Deacon. It was before everything...before I told him about Maddie and he was asking me if I was okay and I said it was complicated. And he said that he'd never thought anything about Teddy was complicated. And it wasn't. At least it never used to be."

She sighed and leaned against the wall. "Maybe this is my fault. I married him, made him raise another man's child, emasculated him with my stardom and now, now when his daughters need him more than ever before he isn't here. Because in the past few years, that sweet, uncomplicated man has made a series of epically bad decisions.

"Why do I hurt everyone around me?"

Her head dropped as she started to cry. Bucky took her in his arms.

"It's okay, Rayna. I don't think anyone would say this was your fault. You're tired. Let me take you and the girls home for a bit."

Rayna looked at him and smiled. "Thanks, Buck. Actually, would you be willing to take the girls home and wait for Tandy to get there? I...I thought I could leave him here, but I can't. I just can't go right now while he's still so sick."

Bucky nodded. "Sure, Ray. But, you do need to take care of yourself. Get some sleep and something to eat, okay?"

Rayna nodded. "Okay."

* * *

After some cajoling, the girls agreed to leave with Bucky. Rayna sent Tandy a text to take a cab to the house when she landed. She was just about to head back into Deacon's room when Scarlett walked into the waiting room where she'd sat down for a few minutes.

"Scarlett, how are you doing, honey?" Rayna asked as she crossed to take Deacon's niece in her arms.

"Hanging in there. I got your text. Is Deacon awake now?" she asked.

"We can go check. He woke up for a little bit when they pulled the breathing tube and the girls went in to see him. I was just going to go back to check on him."

Rayna held the door as Scarlett walked out into the hall. They paused outside Deacon's room. Scarlett took a deep breath and pressed a smile on her face as she opened the door and walked into the room.

She crossed to the bed and took Deacon's hand in hers. His eyes opened slowly and he smiled. "Hey, girl."

"Hey, Uncle Deacon," she said, smiling at him. "You doin' okay?"

Deacon nodded his head slowly. "I'm hangin' in there. How's Bev?"

Scarlett smiled again, this time it was a bit more forced. "She's doin' fine. Resting, like you should be."

"Tell her thank you," Deacon replied, pausing to slowly lick his lips. "Hey, Ray, can they bring me somethin' to drink yet?"

Rayna picked up the cup of ice chips they had brought in earlier and lifted a small spoonful to his lips. "Here, you can have these."

"Not the same," Deacon muttered. He shifted slightly and groaned.

Rayna set the cup down and moved back next to him. "Can I help you? You want the head of the bed up a little more?"

Deacon frowned and shook his head, closing his eyes.

"You need me to go get the nurse?" she asked.

Deacon shook his head again.

Scarlett leaned in and kissed him softly on the forehead. "I'm gonna head back down the hall. Glad to see you doin' so well."

"Thanks, Scarlett," Rayna said as she hugged Deacon's niece. "Tell your momma we're thinking of her."

"Will do," Scarlett said as she headed back out of the room.

Rayna turned back to Deacon. "Babe, let me help you get more comfortable or get someone to help you, okay?"

He nodded.

"You gonna let me do it or should I get the nurse?" she asked.

"You," Deacon replied.

"Okay, so what am I trying to do?" she asked him.

"Want to move over," Deacon replied.

"Move over?" she responded. "Where?"

He smiled at her, his eyes closing. "Make room...for you."

Rayna laughed and shook her head. "I don't think so, mister. You're gonna get me kicked out of here."

"Ray," he replied.

She looked at him, the pain and fear creasing his face. "Okay, let me take a look."

She stepped back, looking at the bed and how Deacon was positioned. "Okay, I think we can do it, if I move you over to the right side. You've got the pain pump and your IV on that side and there's another tube coming out that I don't think you want me to be pulling too hard."

Deacon looked over at the edge of the bed where the tube came out from under the blankets and headed toward the bag hanging off his bed. "No, don't pull on that one."

"Okay," Rayna said. "Let's take this easy." She slid her arms under his, helping him slide his torso across the bed, then moved down and helped him shift his legs. "You okay?"

Deacon nodded, wordless, his face creased in pain again.

Rayna leaned over the pressed the button on the pain pump again. "Okay, I'm coming in."

She let down the railing on the side of the bed and slid her shoes off, crawling into the bed next to him. "Am I hurting you?" she asked as she laid on her side facing him.

"Never," he replied."I'm always better when you're with me."

* * *

She didn't realize she'd fallen asleep until the door opened and a nurse came in to check Deacon's vitals.

"Sorry," she whispered as the nurse came around the other side of bed. "I know I'm breaking the rules."

The nurse smiled at her as she took Deacon's blood pressure. "Honey, he's asleep and relaxed and doesn't seem to be in too much pain, so I think we can look the other way this time. You gettin' some sleep too?"

Rayna nodded.

"Good. This recovery isn't a one day thing, so make sure you keep takin' care of yourself as well, honey," the nurse advised.

Rayna looked over, where Deacon kept sleeping, undisturbed. Yes, they would all need all of their strength to get through what was coming next.

TBC

* * *

 _ **Thanks for the reviews...it always keeps me motivated to write more!**_


	4. Chapter 3

Rayna woke with a start. Caleb was there. Something bad had happened.

 _It was a dream, she told herself. Just a dream._

She looked around the room. She was in a chair in the corner of Deacon's room. It had been a nice idea to lay down with him while he fell asleep, but it wasn't practical for her to stay there while the nurses came in and out checking his vital signs and monitoring his various pumps and drains and tubes.

They had been kind enough to give her a more comfortable chair, a blanket and their blessing to stay with him.

"He's more relaxed with you here," one of the nurses had said. "As long as you let him rest."

The drugs were doing their job and he had been mostly asleep. She stood up and walked over to his bed. It was shocking in some ways to see him looking so fragile, with the tubes and the monitors. She hated the way the tube came out of his nose. It looked so uncomfortable, but they would have to keep it there until his gut had rested a few more days and he could start eating again.

They had taken his gown off at some point in the night and she could see the bandages covering his abdomen. The surgeon had told them it would be a large incision. She ran her fingers over the bandage, barely touching him.

Beverly had saved him. And now she was down the hall, fighting for her life.

Rayna sighed and leaned down to kiss Deacon. She would be back soon, but it was time to go see Beverly.

* * *

Rayna walked down the hallway. It was quiet, with the staff going about their duties all around her. She stepped into the waiting room. Scarlett was asleep in the corner on a couch. She walked back out into the hall and headed down to the nurse's station.

"Excuse me," she said. "I'm hoping to get an update on Beverly O'Connor."

The nurse looked up and nodded. "Ah, yes, Ms. Jaymes. We aren't really supposed to…"

"I know," Rayna replied. "I didn't want to wake her daughter. Can I at least look in on her?"

"Just for a minute," the nurse replied. "She's in room 10."

Rayna headed down the hallway, pausing outside Beverly's room. She had been so grateful, so shocked when Deacon's sister showed up after the scene she'd made in Mississippi and the torn up check.

"Oh, Bev," she said, tears filling her eyes. Why didn't anything ever go easy for the Claybournes? She'd never had the easiest time with Deacon's sister, always feeling like Beverly had blamed her for everything that had gone wrong for Deacon.

And maybe she was. Maybe she should have pushed harder when they were starting out, maybe she should have stood her ground that they were a duo.

But Deacon wouldn't have it. He told her again and again that she was the star. That he was her sideman. And he had been. Right by her side through pretty much all of it.

The tears came more quickly now and she wiped them from her eyes.

"Hey, Rayna."

She turned at the sound of Scarlett's voice.

"Hey, there, honey," she said as she turned and took Scarlett in her arms. "How are you holding up?"

Scarlett shrugged. "Best as I can, I guess. How's Deacon?"

"Asleep," Rayna replied. "Your momma looks so peaceful."

They watched Beverly through the window as her chest rose and fell with the ventilator.

"They...they said she was taking some hormones that she didn't tell them about," Scarlett shared. "They think it made her brain bleed."

"I'm sorry, honey," Rayna replied.

Scarlett sighed. "I want to be mad at her, but I'm also so grateful that she saved Deacon. I just don't know how to feel about it all."

"I know," Rayna replied. "I know."

* * *

Deacon slowly opened his eyes. The spot in his bed where Rayna had been sleeping was empty. He looked over at the nurse standing next to his bed. She had slipped the blood pressure cuff on his arm and was pumping it up, tightening on his arm.

"Morning," she said as she smiled at him. "You doing okay?"

Deacon nodded as she released the pressure in the cuff and marked the results down in her chart.

"I need to take some blood," she explained as she held his arm. He watched as she filled several vials of blood from a tube coming from his arm.

She smiled at him. "We'll do this regularly these first few days to make sure everything's going okay, we'll adjust your medication once we see how you're reacting to it."

He looked over at the door. "Rayna?"

The nurse looked back up from her chart. "I'm not sure. She wasn't here when I came on shift about an hour ago."

"Okay," Deacon replied. His hand went up to his nose where a tube had been inserted.

The nurse smiled at him. "Sorry about that. It's always a contest, which tube the patients hate the most...the one in the nose or the other one. If things go well, you'll lose them both when they move you to the regular unit."

Deacon grimaced slightly, then nodded and gave her a half smile.

She made another note and patted him on the shoulder. "Let me know if you need anything else."

* * *

The nurse stepped into the hallway where she met Rayna.

"Is he awake?" Rayna asked.

"Yes, and he was asking for you," the nurse replied.

Rayna nodded. "Did he ask about his sister?"

The nurse shook her head. "No. I saw the note on his chart, so I didn't mention anything."

"Thank you," Rayna replied. "I'd love to give him at least one more day before we have to tell him."

The nurse excused herself and Rayna headed into Deacon's room.

"Hey, babe," she said as she crossed over and gave him a kiss. "I heard you were looking for me."

Deacon nodded. "You were gone when I woke up."

"Sorry about that," she replied. "You looked so peaceful, I didn't think you'd miss me."

"I always miss you when you're not there," Deacon replied. He frowned.

"You in pain?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I don't like being on all of this stuff. Don't like how it's making me feel."

She sat down on the edge of his bed. "We talked about it. It's just for right now, to get through the part where you're healing. It's helping you and we're watching it-I won't let it hurt you, Deacon."

Deacon nodded.

He'd been as scared of this part as the transplant itself, she thought. He had worked so hard for his sobriety, that anything like this, that threatened it was so scary to him.

"How's Bev?" he asked.

She looked at him, trying to engage his level of inquiry.

"She's good. I just went down to see her," Rayna replied. "Has about as many tubes as you do."

"I'm betting she's not a very good patient," Deacon replied, smiling at her. His eyes started to close.

"Must run in the family," Rayna answered as she smiled at him. "I'm gonna go home and take a shower, if it's okay."

Deacon nodded. "You are startin' to get a little ripe, Ray."

She laughed. "Now I know you're really starting to feel better. You go back to sleep, okay?"

"I will," Deacon said. "And when you get back, maybe we can try gettin' you back in this bed again."

Rayna nodded. "Get some sleep."

She kissed him again and then left the room, feeling that maybe, maybe things were on their way to getting better.

* * *

Rayna pulled into her driveway and put the Escalade in park. It felt like she and Deacon had driven away a year ago. She sat there for a moment, looking up when she heard a tap at the window. Tandy was standing next to her vehicle.

She opened the door and got out.

"C'mere," Tandy said as she took Rayna into her arms. "How are you doing?"

Rayna collapsed into her sister's arms, crying.

"Oh, honey," Tandy replied, patting her sister's back and soothing her. "It's okay, honey."

Rayna choked back her tears and pulled back from her sister. "Sorry, I think I'm just tired."

"And overwhelmed. Bucky told me everything that's happened, it's a lot, Rayna. Let's get you inside, okay?"

Rayna nodded. "Are the girls here?"

Tandy shook her head. "They didn't want to, but I had them go to school. I thought we should try to keep things as normal as possible."

"Good," Rayna replied. They walked to the kitchen door, Tandy's arm around Rayna's shoulders.

"You want some coffee?" Tandy asked. "Or do you want to try to lay down for a while?"

Rayna sat down on a stool at the kitchen counter. "Coffee, please. I'm just here for a shower and fresh clothes. I really need to get back to the hospital."

"How is Deacon?" Tandy asked as she filled Rayna's coffee mug. She set it down on the counter and turned back to the refrigerator to get out the cream.

"Good," Rayna replied. "It's hard to see him in the hospital bed, with all of those tubes and machines."

Tandy refilled her mug and turned back to face Rayna from across the kitchen island. "I remember. It was so awful to see you that way after your accident."

"They took out the breathing tube last night, but there are so many others. And he's awake, but not really with it," Rayna replied. "Which, I guess, is good because he's not asking a lot of questions about Beverly."

"And how is Beverly?" Tandy asked, her voice filled with concern.

Rayna took a sip of her mug and set it down. "We don't know, yet. She's in a coma. She was taking some medication, a hormone, that she didn't include on her medical form and it caused an aneurysm. I can't imagine what this will do to Deacon when we tell him."

"Were they close?" Tandy asked. "I haven't met her, have I?"

Rayna shook her head. "No, she hasn't been in Nashville much. She's had a lot of issues, too. Lots of mental health stuff, but my sense was she'd been doing better that last few years. And her relationship with Deacon, with Scarlett, with me...it's all been really complicated."

Rayna sighed. "I went down to Mississippi, to try to convince her to donate her liver. Scarlett has asked, before Deacon told me what was going on and she'd refused, but I went down there anyway, even offered her money."

"Oh, Rayna," Tandy said, putting her hand on her sister's arm.

Rayna let out a quick laugh. "Not that I convinced her. She ripped that check up, sent it back-that's the point when I have to admit that I lost hope. And then, that night at the Bluebird, when the girls were in California, she just showed up."

Tandy took another sip of her coffee. "I wish you'd told me what was going on, Rayna."

Rayna nodded. "I know. I'm sorry. I just...I was scared, Tandy. Scared of what you'd think, what you'd say."

Tandy came around to her and took Rayna in her arms. "I would have said 'I'm your sister and I'm here for you.'"

Rayna looked at her. "But in your head, would you have been thinking that deep down Deacon deserved this?"

Tandy took in a deep breath. "I don't know. Yes, maybe. But, Rayna, I remember everything he did to you, all the times he hurt you, how destructive his drinking was."

"I do, too," Rayna replied. "But I've also been a part of his life for the past fifteen, almost sixteen years while he's been sober and he's not the same person."

"But he drank when you told him about Maddie," Tandy responded.

"He did," Rayna answered. "But he didn't keep drinking. That's the difference this time. And I don't know why this is happening now, but I'm not going to blame Deacon or the alcoholism. I'm going to love him and I'm going to help him live."

Tandy pulled Rayna into her arms again. "You're the strongest person I know."

Rayna looked down at her phone. "I have to take this. It's Scarlett."

She connected the call. "Scarlett...is everything okay? What? How? How is he?" She listened for a moment. "Okay, I will be right there."

She ended the call. "I have to go back now. Deacon knows about Beverly."

TBC


	5. Chapter 4

As Rayna walked down the hall toward Deacon's room, it felt like she was swimming under water. The muted sounds of the floor rushed past her as she approached the door to his room. She paused, then pushed it open.

Deacon lay on his bed, his eyes trained on the ceiling. Scarlett was sitting at his side, his hand in hers, her head resting on the bed next to him.

Rayna crossed to him and took his free hand.

"Deacon," she said. He remained staring at the ceiling, unmoved. She lowered the railing on the bed and sat down next to him. "Babe."

He shook his head slightly, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.

She put her free hand on his upper arm. "Deacon, talk to me."

He tried to roll away from her, crying out in pain and returning to lay on his back, his eyes still trained on the ceiling.

The door to the room opened and Caleb Rand stepped in. He signaled to Rayna. She leaned forward and kissed Deacon on the forehead. "I'll be right back. It's going to be okay."

She slipped her hand from Deacon's and followed the doctor back out into the hallway.

"What happened?" she asked after the door closed to Deacon's room. "I thought we were going to wait to tell him until he left the ICU."

"My apologies," Caleb replied. "It was an honest mistake by our staff and we understand your frustration. Deacon asked someone who had come on shift to check on his sister's condition, which that person took to mean he already knew about her aneurysm."

Rayna leaned against the wall. "It looks like he isn't handling it very well."

Dr. Rand nodded. "And I'm concerned about that. His condition is still very delicate and he needs to keep a positive attitude. I would like to go in and try to talk to him about Beverly. I think knowing exactly what's happening might be better for him rather than letting his imagination get the better of him."

Rayna nodded. "I agree. How is Beverly?"

"The same," the doctor replied. "There's been no change."

"And her prognosis?"

"We really don't know, so that will be hard for Deacon to hear. We'll just have to wait and see if she wakes up," Caleb replied.

Rayna stood silent for a moment. "I'd like to protect him from this, but I know Deacon and at this point, his imagination is going wild and he has already gone to a dark place. I think we should tell him everything we know, so that he has as much information as we do."

Caleb nodded. "It's probably for the best. I haven't known Deacon for long, but he has definitely been pessimistic at points. Hopefully he can focus on the good things ahead of him, and understand that taking care of himself is important for so many reasons."

Scarlett stepped out into the hall. Rayna went over and took her in her arms.

"How are you doing, sweetie?" Rayna asked as she smoothed her hand down Scarlett's hair.

"Honestly, I'm feeling a little numb," she replied.

"Thank you for being here, for being with Deacon," Rayna replied.

Scarlett moved back from Rayna's embrace, her eyes filling with tears. "I can't lose him, too, Rayna. I don't...I don't know what I would do without Deacon."

Rayna slipped her arm around Scarlett and they walked back into Deacon's room. He was still staring up at the ceiling. She paused, looking at him. There were tubes everywhere. One in his nose, the IV in his hand, the second one in his arm, the catheter...he was pale and thin and weak. He didn't deserve this additional assault.

"Deacon," she started.

He turned his head toward her. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, his eyes filled with tears. "How did this happen?"

Caleb Rand took a step toward Deacon's bed. "Deacon, I recommended that we wait until you were a little bit stronger. You are recovering from a major surgery and you sister made a big sacrifice to share her liver with you. I wanted to give you the best chance for success, so I asked everyone to wait to tell you."

"Well, I know now," Deacon replied. "So, what happened?"

Caleb looked down at the chart in his hand. "Beverly went into cardiac arrest during the end of her surgery, after the team had resected the team and delivered a portion of her liver to you. Initially we were unable to ascertain why it happened, but after some additional tests, we were able to determine that she was taking a hormone that caused her to have an aneurysm. She had not disclosed the medication on her medical history. It was an herbal treatment and she may not have thought it was important, but if we had known, we would have had her discontinue using it until after the surgery. It is still a rare complication, but it happened."

"Will she recover?" Deacon asked. "The nurse said she still hasn't woken up."

"We don't know," Caleb replied. "We're doing everything we can."

Deacon looked away.

"Deacon," Rayna started, reaching for his hand, but he pulled it away.

"Just go," he said without looking at her.

"She wanted to help you," Scarlett added. "She'd want you to get better."

"Go," Deacon responded. "I don't want any of you here. Get out."

* * *

Rayna walked down the hall and sat down in the waiting room. Her phone buzzed and she looked down at it.

 _How is Dad?_

Rayna stared at her phone, not sure how to answer. She didn't want Maddie to worry, but she also didn't want to lie to her.

 _He's hanging in there. I'll call you in a little while._

She sat quietly, her eyes closed, on the couch. She heard voices and opened her eyes to see two nurses and a new doctor heading into Deacon's room. She stood up and began to walk toward the door to his room when another doctor in scrubs came running down the hall.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"You need to wait here," a nurse said, putting her hand on Rayna's arm. "I'll be back as soon as I can to let you know what's happening."

Rayna sank to the floor, her body shaking with tears. He was dying in there and she was out here, alone. He was leaving her and she wasn't with him.

"Rayna."

She looked up to see Caleb standing in front of her.

"What's happening?" she asked as she took his hand and stood up.

"It's okay. He is running a fever and we need to give him some medication for that, but there was a sensor error that caused the alarm. He's doing okay."

"Can I go in and see him?" Rayna asked, her face covered with concern.

"Just for a minute," Caleb replied. "We really do need him to sleep. The stress and anxiety of everything isn't good for him."

Rayna nodded. "I get it. If I can just see him for a minute-maybe it will be good for both of us."

She walked into the room. The lights were set down low and Deacon's eyes were closed. There was another bag of medication on the IV pole next to this bed, but he seemed to be breathing easily.

She pulled up the chair next to his bed and sat down. Without opening his eyes, Deacon moved his hand over toward her. She reached up and took it in her own.

Deacon took in a deep breath, then choked out a sob. Rayna moved her free hand up to his shoulder, smoothing her hand across his hospital gown, trying to offer some comfort.

"Why is this happening?" he choked out, the tears continuing.

"I don't know," Rayna replied. "It's okay, just let it go." Her hand kept moving slowly, rubbing his shoulder, soothing him.

Deacon turned his head toward her. "It's too much, Ray."

"No, it isn't, Deacon," she replied. "We're going to be here for Beverly and Scarlett, but I need you to be here for me, for the girls. We need to you to believe that you're going to get past this, that you deserve to live. I need it, Deacon. I need you to do everything you can to live."

Rayna's head dropped down on the edge of the bed, resting on Deacon's hand that she still held, the tears coming to her now as well.

"C'mere," Deacon said, his voice rough. Rayna lifted her head. She looked at him, weakened, but no longer looking as defeated. She dropped the rail on the side of the bed and gingerly moved onto the edge of the mattress.

"They're going to kick me out if we keep doing this," she said as she turned on her side facing Deacon.

"Then they'll have to kick me out, too," Deacon replied as he leaned in, carefully trying to not dislodge any tubes and kissed her gently. "I do want to live, Ray. I want to live with your for many years."


	6. Chapter 5

Rayna woke up when the nurse came in to check Deacon's vital signs.

"Sorry, I know I'm not supposed to…" she started as she slid from Deacon's bed and stood up.

The nurse smiled. "We've all noticed that he does better when you're here. We can turn a blind eye. But if you want to go home for a while, the pill the gave him to sleep seems to have helped. And they're going to move him to the regular surgical floor in the morning."

"Should I be here?" Rayna asked.

The nurse smiled and again and shook her head. "Honestly, it's almost easier if you aren't. They'll come in to pull that tube out of his nose and it's unpleasant. And then it's just a lot of people in a small space getting him transferred and moved. I can send you his new room number as soon as it's assigned and you can come back then."

Rayna thought for a moment, then nodded. "I could use a shower and my girls are...well, they've been worrying with me gone so much. It just seemed hard to have them come up here while he's in ICU."

The nurse put her hand on Rayna's arm. "I'll let you know if anything changes. Anything at all."

Rayna leaned in and kissed Deacon as he continued to sleep, then picked up her purse and headed for her car.

* * *

The elevator door opened and Rayna stepped off with Maddie and Daphne. They walked halfway down the hall, then she paused.

"Okay, I know we talked about it, but Deacon still has a lot of tubes and he still looks pretty sick, but he's getting better. They moved him out of ICU, which is great and means he's definitely getting better."

"Where is Aunt Beverly?" Maddie asked. "Can we see her, too?"

Rayna nodded. "She's still upstairs, but we'll stop up there if there's time before school and check in on Scarlett after we see your dad."

She looked over at Daphne. "You okay, honey?"

Daphne nodded. She'd been quiet the last few days since Teddy's arrest. Tandy had offered to take the girls to see him, but Teddy had refused.

Rayna pulled out her phone to double check the message on her phone for the room number.

"Okay, this is Deacon's room. Let me just go in and check if he's ready for us," Rayna said to the girls. She tapped on the door, which was slightly closed, then walked into the room.

The bed was empty when she stepped into the room. She looked around, then noticed a young woman standing in the bathroom next to Deacon.

"I'm glad I came in to check things out," she said as Deacon slowly turned and walked out slowly, the woman pushing his IV pole with her left hand and steadying him with his arm with her right. "Good to see you out of bed, hon."

Deacon nodded.

"Cute butt," Rayna added.

Deacon's free hand moved back toward the opening of his gown, but he wobbled slightly. Rayna moved to his free side.

"Don't worry...I've seen it before," she said as she slid her arm through his and gave him a quick kiss.

She stepped back while the woman helped Deacon back into bed. Once he was settled, she turned to Rayna.

"I'm Gwen, one of the physical therapists on the floor," she said introducing herself to Rayna.

"Rayna," she replied. She leaned in to kiss Deacon more deeply this time. "Ooh, you must have been in there brushing your teeth. Tastes good."

Deacon smiled. "Was gettin' kinda furry in there."

"We'll be getting him up a few times, moving around the room," Gwen explained. "We want to make sure he's walking a little bit more every day."

"When can I seen Bev?" Deacon asked.

Gwen looked at Rayna.

"His sister, Beverly is still in the ICU. She was his donor."

The physical therapist nodded. "Let me check with your doctor. We want to keep you in your room because they've got you on a lot of immunosuppressants right now, so you're susceptible to more bugs than usual, but maybe we can arrange something."

"Thank you," Rayna replied. After the PT left, she turned to Deacon. "The girls came up with me. You ready to see them?"

"How's my hair?" Deacon asked, smiling at her.

She leaned over and smoothed down the section that had been sticking up slightly. "It's fine. Nothing that a shower won't help, but I don't think they'll care."

Deacon closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them up. "I can't believe how tired I am, but I'm feelin' less fuzzy all the time."

"Did it feel okay getting up?" she asked as she sat down on the edge of his bed.

"Sort of," Deacon replied. " I got kinda dizzy when she first helped me up. Can't believe how tired I am from walkin' to the bathroom. Didn't even get to do any business there. Just brushed my teeth."

"Hey, but now that you can walk there, maybe they'll take out that extra tube," Rayna teased.

"It was my next question," Deacon replied.

"You seem a lot better today," Rayna responded. "You...you had me worried, Deacon."

He nodded. "I know. And I had a talk with myself this mornin'. I can't change what happened to Bev, but I can take care of myself."

Rayna leaned in and kissed him. "Okay, I better go get those girls. You ready?"

"Yep," Deacon replied, as he pushed his hands down on the mattress, lifting himself slightly so he could sit higher in the bed. "Uh," he groaned.

"Take it easy," Rayna said. "I haven't seen it yet, but they tell me you have a massive incision up your middle."

"Got it," Deacon replied.

* * *

Rayna stepped out into the hall where the girls stood waiting. "Okay, he's ready," she said as she held the door open for them to walk in.

Maddie crossed over and slid her arms around Deacon. He leaned down and kissed her head. "I'm so glad to see you, honey." He held his arm out. "You, too, Daph. You're just the medicine I needed today."

Daphne came over and gave him a hug as well.

Rayna pulled up the two chairs in the room near the bed. "C'mere, girls," she invited them. "Daphne, I can share with you."

"You can sit on the bed," Deacon offered.

Maddie sat down on the bed next to him. Daphne stepped back and sat down on the chair next to Rayna.

"So, what's been happening while I've been up here?" Deacon asked.

Daphne looked over at her mom and Rayna shook her head subtly.

"Nothing really," Maddie replied. "Aunt Tandy is here, so that's cool."

"How about you, Daph?" Deacon asked.

"Nothin'," Daphne replied.

"Huh," Deacon responded. "No big history day projects or anything like that?"

Daphne shook her head.

"I started working on a new song," Maddie offered.

"You gonna sing it for me?" Deacon asked.

"I'm not done," Maddie replied. "But I will when I finish it...or maybe you can help me."

"Maybe I can," Deacon responded.

Rayna's phone buzzed and she looked down. "Okay, girls, Aunt Tandy is downstairs, ready to take you to school, so we need to go."

"Aren't we gonna see Aunt Beverly?" Daphne asked.

"Sorry, I took up all of your time," Deacon replied. "But they're gonna let me go see her this afternoon, so I'll give you an update. Okay?"

The girls nodded. Maddie leaned in to hug Deacon. "Bye Dad, I love you."

Daphne came over and gave him a hug as well. "You look a lot better," she said.

"Come back," Deacon said as the girls headed towards the door. "Soon."

Rayna walked out into the hall with the girls. "You want me to walk down with you?"

"We can go by ourselves," Maddie replied. "He seems like he's a lot better, don't you think?"

"I do, honey. And he'll get better every day. It just takes a while."

She kissed the girls again and sent them down the elevator to find Tandy, then turned and headed back into Deacon's room.

Deacon's eyes were closed when she walked in, but opened again when she approached the bed.

"God, it was good to see them," Deacon said. "Was Daphne quieter than usual?"

"I don't know," Rayna replied. "I think the hospital just overwhelms her a little bit. That was a lot of activity, do you want me to let you rest for awhile?"

Deacon shook his head. "Stay for a bit, will ya? Or could you go check and see if we can go see Bev?"

"Maybe you should wait," Rayna replied. "You've barely gotten out of bed yourself. You need to take it easy, Deacon."

Deacon shook his head. "I need to see her, Ray. I need to tell her…" He choked up. "I need to tell her I'm here, that she saved me."

Rayna moved over to his bed and sat down on the edge. She reached up and brushed away the tears that had begun to fall from his eyes.

"What's wrong with me?" Deacon asked, reaching up to brush more of the tears away. "I don't cry."

Rayna smoothed her hand down the side of his face. "It's okay, Deacon." She pulled him close as he continued to cry.

As Deacon's breathing evened out, Rayna eased up from the hospital bed. Hopefully he'd sleep for a bit.

* * *

She went out into the hallway, and headed toward the nurse's station.

"Rayna."

She turned to find Caleb Rand standing there.

"How is Deacon doing?" he asked. "I was about to go in and check on him."

"He just fell asleep," Rayna replied. "He's been better today, better spirits, even happy, but then after the girls left he got pretty upset again, even crying. Honestly, both are pretty uncommon for him."

Caleb nodded. "It's the medication. We have him on a much higher dose of immunosuppressants than he'll usually take and it's going to cause some mood swings. He'll be more euphoric, he'll be more depressed."

"How long will that go on?" Rayna asked. "I think both things are bit upsetting to him."

"That's a lot of what we're doing these first few days-trying to get everything sorted out so that we have him on the least amount of medication to keep the liver healthy and his body not rejecting it."

Rayna nodded. "He does want to see Bev. Can we do that?"

"I think we can arrange that this afternoon. Has physical therapy been in to see him?"

"This morning. She helped him get up and brush his teeth. She said they'd keep getting him up in the room for the next couple of days," Rayna responded.

Caleb looked down at the chart and made a note. "He'll have to wear a mask and gown, but we can get something set up."

"Thank you," Rayna said.

* * *

Rayna stood in the corner of the room as a nurse and the physical therapist got Deacon ready to visit Beverly.

Deacon slowly stood up from his bed, leaning heavily on the physical therapist.

"You feeling okay?" she asked.

Deacon nodded.

"Okay, let's get this gown on you," the nurse said as she pulled open a large yellow gown. Deacon put his free arm into the left sleeve. The nurse moved to his right side, then looked over at Rayna.

"Can you come take his left arm?" she asked.

Rayna nodded and moved over to offer him support while the nurse and PT maneuvered his IV and other tubes through the sleeve and under the gown.

Rayna looked at Deacon, seeing the effort this was causing him. "We can wait until tomorrow, hon. Don't...don't push yourself too much and hurt yourself while you're still healing."

"No," Deacon replied. "I can do this."

The nurse pushed the wheelchair over and with Rayna's assistance they lowered him into the chair. Rayna pulled out a pair of slippers and put them over his feet.

"Where did those come from?" he asked.

"I bought them for you. Turns out you don't have slippers or a robe," Rayna replied, smiling at him.

"Not really a slippers and robe guy," Deacon replied.

"Okay, slip on your mask," the nurse said as she handed him a blue face mask. Deacon pulled it on.

"I feel like Patient Zero," Deacon said, his voice muffled.

Rayna chuckled.

"Do you want me to go with you or are you okay?" the nurse asked.

Rayna looked down at Deacon, then back at the nurse. "I got this."

"Try not to stay too long," she responded. "I know you're feeling better, but you're going to be surprised how tired you get just being out of bed."

"We'll make it quick," Rayna replied and Deacon nodded.

She pushed him down the hallway toward the elevator.

"Think we could go get burgers instead?" Deacon asked through his mask.

"I told you," Rayna replied. "I'm bringing you your favorite including a turkey sandwich as soon as they let you eat real food."

The elevator opened up and fortunately was empty, so she backed the wheelchair into it and pressed the button for the ICU.

TBC


	7. Chapter 6

Rayna opened the door to Beverly's room in the ICU. Scarlett stood up and came over to Rayna and Deacon.

"She's resting easy," Scarlett explained. "They've got her on a breathing machine and such, but she seems like she's just asleep."

"Can I?" Deacon started. "I need a minute. Can y'all just…"

Rayna nodded. "Of course." She pushed Deacon's wheelchair into the room next to Beverly's bed. "We'll be right outside. You want me to come check on you in a few minutes?"

Deacon looked over at her and nodded. "Yeah, just...just...I need some time, with her. Alone."

Rayna leaned down and kissed him, then followed Scarlett into the hallway.

Deacon put his hands down on the rims of the wheelchair and pushed himself slightly closer to Beverly's bed. Her head was shaved and there was a mask over her mouth with a tube going into it. Her chest moved up and down mechanically and she was so quiet. Like she'd never been before.

"Dammit, Beverly," Deacon said as he reached over and took her hand in his. It was warm and soft to the touch. But like everything else, it was completely still.

He sat there watching her. Even from his earliest memories, things had been a challenge with his sister. They were comrades in a battle in their home, with their father's drinking and rage and their mother's complete inability to protect herself or either of her children. But at the same time, they had fought each other.

" _Why do you keep pushin' his buttons?" Deacon asked as they sat on the ground behind the shed next to their house. In the background they could hear the shouts of their father, their mother's cries, the plates and bowls breaking as he threw things across the kitchen at her._

 _Beverly looked over at him. "Why don't you? Why don't you ever try to do anything to make him stop?"_

 _Deacon looked at her and back at the house. "Cause nothin's ever gonna make him stop."_

 _Beverly looked at him with disgust. "Not with you always acting like such a pussy."_

 _Deacon looked down at the ground. He didn't want to fight. Beverly always wanted to fight, but he just wanted them to stop. He wanted them all to stop._

"You're a fighter, Bev," Deacon said now. "You've always been a fighter. Don't stop now. I...I need you to get better. I'm not sure I can do this if you don't come out of this."

He leaned his head down on his arm, still holding her hand.

Scarlett opened the door and stepped in. "Okay if I come in?"

Deacon looked up at her and nodded. "Yeah." He reached up with his free hand and brushed the tears that had formed in his eyes away. "What happened again? I know Caleb told me, but my head is still so fuzzy."

Scarlett pulled up a chair next to him. "She was takin' some hormone pill that she didn't put on the list of medications. I don't know...maybe she forgot, maybe she thought we didn't need to know she was havin' her change. She's been my momma for a lot of years, but I've never been able to figure out why she does what she does."

Deacon offered a slight smile. "I've got twice as many years on you and I feel the same way. I knew it was a lot to ask her to do this, but I never thought it would be this much of a sacrifice. I'm sorry, Scarlett. I shouldn't have asked so much of you both."

"Don't say that," Scarlett replied, her voice low. "You have always done so much for us. I know she would never say that or even thank you, but I know you were sending money when I was little, after the divorce, that you kept the lights on in our house. And you showed up when I needed you."

"Not every time," Deacon replied. "I should have been there…"

Scarlett put her hand on Deacon's free arm. "You have always done the best you could. Every single time. You've had your demons. I have my own. She's got hers. We do what we can. And I'm not given up on her and I don't think you should either. She's too stubborn to die this way. I keep figurin' that she'll just get up out of this bed and yell at me for lettin' them cut her hair this way."

Deacon laughed. "Probably true."

"I think you better go back on downstairs to your room. You work on gettin' better, cause when she does wake up, she's gonna need you to help her get better. You can do that? Right?"

Deacon nodded again. "I can do that."

"Okay, so let me go get Rayna," Scarlett replied.

As she left the room, Deacon moved the footrests out of the way on his wheelchair and reached for the handrail on Beverly's bed. He pushed on the armrest of the chair and pulled on the bed rail, groaning slightly as the stitched on his incision pulled, but then stood up next to the bed. He held onto the rail with his left hand, while reaching forward with his right to brush his fingers across her forehead. He tightened his grip on the bed rail and leaned forward to kiss his sister on the forehead.

"Get better, Bev," he whispered. "I love you."

He turned at the sound of Rayna coming into the room.

"You okay?" she asked as she moved to his side, helping him sit back down in the wheelchair. She untwisted the tubes from his right hand and straightened the IV bag that had slipped on the pole.

"Yeah," Deacon replied. "But I'm worn out."

* * *

Rayna pushed Deacon back into his room. "You want me to get someone to come help us?" she asked as she set the brakes on the chair.

Deacon shook his head. "I think we can do it."

She helped him as he stood up. She reached up and took the mask off his face. "That looks better," she said as she set it down on the table next to his bed. He eased himself into a seated position on the edge of the bed as Rayna untied the big yellow isolation gown and took it off. "I think I should leave you to rest for a while."

He reached his hand out and took hers. "Actually, would you stay?"

"Of course," Rayna replied. She looked down at him. His color was a little bit better, he had gotten jaundiced in the last days before the surgery. But he was still pale and clearly in pain.

"You doing okay?" she asked as she smoothed her hand down the side of his face. "I think that going up there was too much for you. Please tell me you won't push yourself too much."

"I won't," Deacon replied. "But I don't like bein' here, bein' sick. It's too much like…"

She knew what he meant. It was too much like being at rehab, being weak, vulnerable.

"This is a totally different thing, Deacon," she said. "C'mon, let's get you laying down."

She pulled the slippers off his feet and helped him left his legs onto the bed. She pulled the blankets around him, tucking him in snuggly.

"So, I saw the menu they're bringing up for you tonight," Rayna offered. "It's meatloaf."

"I hate meatloaf," Deacon replied. "Are you serious?"

"Oh, I know you hate meatloaf. I remember the first time I made it for you. I was sure it was because I was the worst cook ever. I cried myself to sleep that night," Rayna replied, smiling of the memory of that first meal she'd cooked for him.

"Yeah, it was one of those end of the month meals my mom would make. I mean, I'm not sure there was even meat in it...it was mostly just crackers and corn and this meat-like product she'd buy from some guy along the road. Mighta been squirrel. Kinda ruined the concept for me, no matter how good it is," Deacon answered.

"Good, cause the girls actually say mine isn't so bad. I use a lot of brown sugar, but that isn't why I mention it," Rayna said, smiling at him. "I mention it because if they're serving you meatloaf, it must mean you can eat normal food."

"Please tell me that means you're going out to get me a burger," Deacon said, a smile crossing his face now.

"Tandy's on her way right now with our takeout order," Rayna replied. "As soon as she texts me, I'm gonna run downstairs and pick it up."

Deacon looked at her and shook his head. "I love the hell out of you, Rayna Jaymes."

TBC

 _ **Thanks to everyone who's been reading this story. I love to hear what you're thinking, so drop me a review if you have a minute. - RW**_


	8. Chapter 7

Deacon looked up at the sound of a knock at the door. He slid his glasses off and set down the magazine he'd been reading.

"You look better today," Gwen, the physical therapist said as she walked into the room carrying a collapsed walker. "Looks like you're back in your own clothes, too."

"Yeah, no more peek-a-boo with my back end," Deacon replied. "Feelin' better every day. What's that?"

"That is a walker," Gwen answered.

"I need a walker?" Deacon replied. "I don't think so."

"Well, we're going to get you up and out of this room, try to do at least one lap up and down the hall and this first time, I'm going to have you use a walker. And after you pass that test, then we'll move on to other things," Gwen replied.

Deacon scowled.

"Hey, it's up to you," Gwen replied. "But they won't let you go home until you can get around on your own and have some of your strength back, so this is how you accomplish that. Got it?"

"Got it," Deacon replied.

Gwen walked over to the bed, but Deacon waved her away. "I got it. I've been gettin' up three times an hour out of this bed. I can handle it."

Gwen smiled and stepped back. "Can I get you your slippers?"

"You mean I can't wear my boots?" Deacon shot back.

Gwen looked over at the cupboard where his clothes hung. "No sign of the boots, but if they appear and you make it down the hall, then we can talk."

"Okay," Deacon replied as she handed him his slippers. "Sorry, I'm not exactly a great patient by all accounts."

"It's okay," the therapist responded.

* * *

"So, how many times do I have to do this to be able to go on my own?" Deacon asked as he pushed the walker forward.

Gwen edged the IV pole ahead as well and looked up at the wall. "Well, we've been up and down the hall two times, but we've also been out here 20 minutes, so I'm thinking that we should call this good for now and I'll come back this afternoon."

"And then I can try it without this thing?" Deacon asked.

"We'll see," Gwen replied.

"Hey, babe."

Deacon paused at the sound of Rayna's voice behind him. He kept his hands on the handles of the walker as she slid her arms around him, laying her head up against his back.

"Good to see you up and getting your exercise," Rayna said as she held him close. He reflexively leaned his head back toward her, soaking in the smell of her hair, the warmth of her body against his. They had snuck a few moments here and there together, crowded into his bed, but he yearned to be with her, alone, as they had been over the years and especially these past few weeks.

"Okay, let's get Deacon back into bed," Gwen instructed as they continued their slow shuffle down the hall back to his room.

* * *

"So, have they told you anything about when I can get out of here?" Deacon asked Rayna after they had gotten him back into his bed and Gwen left.

"It's been a week and they said it would be ten days to two weeks, so I would assume in a few days," Rayna replied. "You're doing great, though, babe. How are you feeling?"

Deacon shrugged. "Tired, but at least the fuzziness is gone. I actually read something this morning."

Rayna laughed. "Okay, now I know you're bored! Should I bring you a guitar?"

Deacon shook his head. "No, not quite ready for that. How are the girls?"

Rayna sat down at the foot of the bed, next to Deacon. "I've been waiting to talk to you about this, but Teddy's been arrested."

Deacon frowned. "What do you mean arrested? When?"

"The night of your surgery. With the surgery and Bev, I just wanted to wait until things were a little more settled down to talk about it."

"What else has happened since I've been in here?" Deacon asked, his voice gruff. "You don't have to keep protectin' me from everything, Ray."

Rayna reached forward and took his hand in hers. "Yes, actually, I do. I love you and I'm taking care of you."

"Okay, I get that, but what else?" Deacon responded.

"Juliette has gone off the deep end, as far as I can tell and is threatening to leave Highway 65," Rayna replied.

Deacon let out a short laugh and shook his head. "Okay, well, that one's not great for business, I'd guess, but it's the least of our worries. So, what's going on with Teddy? Is that why Daphne's been so quiet when she comes in?"

Rayna nodded. "It's been hard for her. Maddie, too, but right now she's just mad at him. Honestly, I haven't gotten a lot of details and I haven't talked to him. He's refusing to see the girls. I'm assuming it's all related to that mess he got into with Jeff, but they're saying he embezzled city funds, too. I just can't believe it, but I never thought he'd get caught up with hookers, either."

"I'm sorry, Rayna," Deacon replied.

Rayna shook her head and took in a deep breath. She looked back over at him with tears glistening in her eyes. "I just feel like all these decisions I made, that I've just left a path of ruin everywhere-that I hurt you by not telling you the truth about Maddie, that I forced Teddy into that marriage that was never really a marriage. What did Princess Di say? There were always three people in the marriage? And now all of those things, now they're hurting my girls and it kills me."

She started crying harder.

"C'mere," Deacon said, drawing her closer. He shifted to the side of the bed, grunting slightly at the effort as Rayna moved in next to him, rolling on her side away from him, her head on his arm. "Rayna, you gotta forgive yourself for that stuff. I've forgiven you, and your marriage to Teddy, you said that you loved him, that Daphne was born out of that time for you. You gotta stop bein' so hard on yourself."

Rayna was quiet.

"We gotta move on, do what we can and forgive ourselves for what happened in the past," Deacon repeated. "I'm glad you told me. You gotta let me share this stuff with you."

Rayna brushed her tears away from her eyes. "I want it to be that easy," she said. "But this stuff happens and it just brings it up all over again."

Deacon put his right arm around her, his hand trailing the tubes that still stuck out of it. "It's gonna be okay. All of this is gonna be okay."

* * *

Tandy looked at both of the girls sitting at the counter. "Okay, your mom said they're just about here. Just remember, Deacon is still going to be recovering, so don't worry if he's still a little weak."

"We've seen him pretty much every single day at the hospital," Maddie replied.

"Yes, but it's different when you come home," Tandy answered. "Remember what it was like when PawPaw had his heart attack and surgery."

"Is he always going to be sick?" Daphne asked.

Tandy shook her head and smiled at the girls. "No, the good thing about this is he's going to get a lot better, like he was before. But it takes time."

"They're here!" Maddie shouted as Rayna's Escalade pulled up in the driveway. She headed toward the door.

"You want to go with her?" Tandy asked Daphne.

Daphne shook her head.

"It's okay," Tandy replied. The past few weeks had been hard on her young niece. All of her innocence seemed to have been stripped off in two sharp strokes.

"Hey!" Rayna said as they walked into the house. She held the door open for Deacon and Maddie who were walking into the house arm in arm. "We finally have you home!"

Deacon paused, his hand on the counter, seeming to steady him. "It feels good to be here."

"Okay, I'm going to take Deacon upstairs," Rayna explained. "You girls have plans with Aunt Tandy?"

"I want to stay here," Maddie replied.

Rayna looked over at Tandy, who shrugged.

"Okay, but let's let your dad have a rest. He's still recovering, okay?"

Maddie nodded.

"You ready to try the stairs?" Rayna asked Deacon. "Or I can make you a bed down here."

Deacon shook his head. "No, I'm ready to be sleepin' in my own bed...in our bed, again."

Rayna slid her hand around Deacon's waist and walked with him toward the staircase off the kitchen.

"Take it slow and we can stop if you need to," Rayna said quietly to him.

"I can walk up the damn steps," Deacon replied, his voice also quiet so the girls couldn't hear.

Rayna looked at him again and nodded. "Okay, you ready?"

Deacon put his hand on the rail along the steps and took one step up. "It got this, Ray."

She dropped her hand from him and stepped back, watching as he went up the stairs, a step at a time, pausing every third or fourth step.

"Is he really better?" Maddie said as she walked up behind her mother.

Rayna turned to her and smiled. "He is, honey. He's getting better all the time."

* * *

Rayna sat in the music room, her journal in front of her, the page blank. Her phone sounded an alarm and she looked up. She silenced it and headed for the kitchen. She pulled a glass from the cupboard and then reached into the drawer for a long plastic container, divided into the seven days of the week. She picked it up, along with the glass and headed for the steps.

She walked down the hallway, pausing outside of her bedroom. She pushed the door open to find Deacon asleep in the bed. She crossed over to him and sat down next to him.

"Babe," she said, quietly, gently jostling his arm with her hand.

"What?" Deacon asked, waking up from a deep sleep.

"It's time for your medication," Rayna explained.

The last two days at the hospital had been filled with education sessions, explaining about the various medications that Deacon would need to take to keep his liver healthy. Deacon had seemed to listen, but Rayna sat next to him taking detailed notes on the frequency, the combinations, the side effects and the symptoms they needed to watch for that were signs of something more serious like rejection happening.

She handed him the glass and then a handful of pills from the container. Deacon looked at the pills, then stuck them all in his mouth, swallowing them with the water from the glass.

"You get some good rest?" she asked as she ran her hand down the side of his face.

"I guess," Deacon replied. "Can you take me for my PT early tomorrow? I want to check in on Bev."

Checking in on Bev had been part of his daily routine once he'd been able to walk freely about the hospital. Doctors and therapists had learned to look for him in her room if they didn't find him in his.

"Definitely," Rayna replied. "How about we get you out of your clothes and into something more comfortable to sleep."

Deacon nodded and she got up and headed into his dressing room to find the t-shirt and boxers he liked to wear at night. She picked them up and headed back out into the bedroom.

Deacon was sitting on the edge of the bed, his jeans he'd worn home from the hospital in a pile next to the boots he'd taken off after he'd gotten home.

"You need help with your shirt?" Rayna asked.

Deacon shook his head. "I got it," he replied. "You can go."

She handed him the night clothes, but remained standing in front of him. "You can show me the scar. I'm not afraid of it."

"I am," Deacon replied. "I never had nothin' on me like this."

"It's a battle scar, Deacon. Nothing more, nothing less," Rayna said. "It's a reminder of the journey you've been on and how you're surviving."

Deacon slowly unbuttoned his shirt. Rayna knelt down in front of him to help him with the last few buttons. She eased the shirt back, off his shoulders and down his arms. The incision was shaped like an upside-down Y, a dark red mark across his abdomen. Rayna reached up with her fingers and gently touched it.

"Does it hurt?" she asked.

Deacon shook his head. "No, it kinda feels weird." He looked down. "Long as it's there, I'm never gonna be able to forget."

Rayna moved next to him on the bed and took him in her arms. "We're never gonna forget it, babe. This is part of you, just like all of the other stuff. It's just part of you, now."

TBC

 _ **Thanks to everyone for the lovely reviews on the last chapter-especially to the guest interviews I can't respond to individually. I so appreciate hearing what you think about the chapter - RW.**_


	9. Chapter 8

_**Sorry for the unexpected hiatus, but here is the final chapter of this little story. Enjoy!**_

* * *

Rayna woke up the next morning next to Deacon. He was still asleep, laying on his back across the bed from her. He was still moving gingerly and she had wanted to give him the space to be able to find a comfortable way to sleep.

She knew he was recovering, but she was surprised by how fragile he still seemed. Deacon had been both weak and strong at different points in their lives together, but for so many years, he had been there, her rock, strong. And healthy. Even after the accident, he had worked to recover, to overcome the damage to his hand, to regain his ability to play his guitars, to make his music.

She rolled on her side, watching his chest raise and lower. He hadn't really talked about Beverly since he woke up. She knew he was keeping up a brave front, but she knew Deacon better than anyone in the world. He was broken hearted about what had happened to her. And he felt responsible.

Deacon shifted and she pulled the comforter down slightly. The bottom third of the incision was exposed. She had worked to not act surprised by it the night before. It was large, crossing most of his abdomen. What she had said was true-it would be a reminder to them of this gift, this sacrifice. But right now it felt like another reminder of once again being afraid that she would lose Deacon, that they would never be able to actually have the life together that they had planned.

"Hey," Deacon said, his voice deep, his eyes still closed.

She leaned in and kissed him. "So glad you're home, babe."

Deacon opened his eyes and nodded slowly, a slight smile crossing his face. "Me, too, babe." The smile slid off his face. "Hey, I gotta get up."

Rayna moved back slightly. "You need help?"

Deacon shook his head. "Let me try."

Rayna rolled on her side, watching as Deacon eased himself into a sitting position. He paused, then put his left hand on the bedside table. He stopped there.

"You sure you don't want any help?" Rayna asked. She knelt behind him, her right hand running down his right arm. "It's okay, babe."

Deacon's head dropped down and he remained silent. She slid her arm around his left side and leaned her head against his shoulder. She moved so she was sitting next to him.

"It's going to get easier every day," she said as she helped ease him into a standing position. "This is why they call this period recovery, Deacon. It's not forever."

She leaned in and kissed him. "You need anything else?" she asked.

Deacon shook his head and smiled at her. "I think I can pee on my own, babe...although it might be helpful to have you in the shower."

"Of course," Rayna replied, nodding her head. Then she paused and playfully slapped his upper arm. "How can you be thinking about that, Deacon Claybourne."

Deacon chuckled. "I've been thinking about that for days, Ray. So, you gonna come shampoo my hair?"

She watched as he slowly walked toward the bathroom, his hand trailing from the wall next to the bed to the door. After a beat, she pulled her t-shirt off and followed him. "Better bring your conditioner, too, babe."

* * *

Rayna waited out in the hallway near the door to the Outpatient Physical Therapy department. Her phone beeped and she looked down. A text from Bucky. They'd received another offer from Juliette to buy out her contract. She swiped up to make the message go away. She was in no mood to think about Juliette Barnes and her drama this morning.

"Hey, babe," Deacon said as she walked up to her and gave her a kiss.

"How'd it go today?" she asked as they walked to the elevator.

"Good," Deacon replied. "There was some suggestion of a Couch to 5K program, but I don't think so."

Rayna laughed. "No, I don't know that I see you as a runner, Deacon."

Deacon leaned forward and pressed the elevator button. "Yeah, I said I didn't think it was gonna happen."

The elevator door opened and then walked in, standing silently as it rose up to the eighth floor. The door opened and they stepped out.

"You want me to come or do you want to go on your own?" Rayna asked as she looked down the hall toward the room where Bev lay, still unconscious after all of these weeks.

"Come with me," Deacon said, holding his hand out to her. "I've been telling her a lot about the stuff that's happened since I left Natchez and a lot of that story is about you."

"Hopefully she won't wake up wanting to punch my lights out," Rayna replied as she leaned into him.

"No, I don't think that's going to be first thing on her mind," Deacon answered. The elevator dinged signaling their arrival and the doors opened. They stepped out onto the ICU floor.

"Oh, and another thing," Deacon replied. "I'm cleared to drive again, so you can hang up your chauffeur's hat."

"But I like driving you around," Rayna replied, smiling at him and leaning in for a quick kiss.

"And I enjoy it as well, babe, but I miss my truck," Deacon replied. "And really, you have to have better things to do than be at my beck and call all the time."

Rayna shook her head. "No, that's just keeping me from having to deal with the real world which is out there and way to ready to rear its ugly head."

They headed down the hall and walked into Bev's room. She lay in the bed, her eyes closed, the tube in her mouth and her chest moving up and down rhythmically.

"I can't believe this is the end of her story," Deacon said, pulling a chair up next to her bed.

"We don't know that it is," Rayna replied. She moved next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm not sure I know anyone as stubborn as your sister. We have to keep hope that she'll come back to us."

Deacon looked up and her. There were tears at the corner of his eyes. "I know. And I believe she can make it back. I have to, Ray. I can't face it if…"

She leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "Deacon, I think you should talk to someone about this...or talk to me. Don't keep this all inside. It's too much for anyone, but you're still getting over a major illness. You have to let out your pain."

Deacon looked up at her and shook his head. "Ray, I've just never been able to do that. Not really."

"Think about it," she replied as her phone beeped. She pulled it out and looked at her message. "It's about Teddy. You mind?"

"No, go on. Scarlett's comin' in a bit and I'll have her bring me home," Deacon replied.

Rayna leaned down and kissed him on the lips. "Think about what I said," she said as she straightened back up. "I know they talked about some counseling resources with the post-transplant team. I need you take care of yourself, Deacon."

Deacon nodded. "I'll be home before dinner."

* * *

Rayna pulled into the driveway and parked next to Deacon's pick-up. She smiled as she got out of the car. It felt like they were returning to some kind of normalcy. Or something like that. There was nothing normal about Teddy being in jail or Bev being in a coma, but having Deacon in her arms, her bed, getting stronger every day...it was definitely helping things feel a bit more normal again.

She opened the door and walked into the kitchen. The house was quiet. Deacon's messenger bag sat on the counter. She walked down to the music room, but it was quiet and dark. She headed upstairs, pushing the door to their room open slowly.

The room was bathed in darkness and was quiet. She dropped her purse on the bench at the end of the bed. Deacon was breathing evenly on his side of the bed, appearing to be deep in sleep. She started to head back out, but then stopped, instead slipping her shoes off. She sat on the edge of the bed, watching him sleep. He looked so peaceful. She moved closer, laying down next to him.

"Hey," Deacon said, his voice thick with sleep.

"I didn't mean to wake you," she replied.

"It's okay," he answered. "I was meanin' to get up before you got home, but this bed just felt so good."

"I like how this feels," she replied.

He turned so that he was facing her, his hands brushing her hair away from her face. "God, you're so beautiful, Ray."

They lay on the bed, eyes locked, quiet.

"Thank you for coming back to me," Rayna said after a moment. "I don't know how I ever lived without you."

Deacon slid his arm under her, pulling her close to him. "You're never gonna have to live without me again. Never."

She pressed her lips against his as he welcomed her and began to kiss her more deeply. His hands slid around her back, pulling her even closer.

She slid her hands down his back and across his butt, pulling him close to her as well.

"We got too many clothes on," he said as they broke their embrace.

Rayna sat up as a smile crossed her face. "You sure you're up to it?"

"I'm up to tryin'," Deacon replied. He reached over and began to unbutton her blouse. She slid it off as his fingers trailed across her smooth skin. She slipped her hand under his belt and loosened it, then began to undo the button and zipper on his jeans.

Deacon pulled his t-shirt off, taking a deep breath as he reached his arms up.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yup," Deacon replied. "But you gotta pull those pants off."

She quickly took off the rest of her clothes and moved back over to where he lay on the bed on his back, ready for her. She moved to kneel over him, resting back on his legs. "This okay?"

Deacon nodded.

She leaned in, kissing him once again, this time more urgently as she felt him grow beneath her. She slid over him, joining with him once again as they had so many times.

Deacon pulled her close, deeper. "God, Ray."

She felt a wave of passion, joy and relief wash over her. She fell down next to him as he turned on his side and watched her.

"Well, that works okay," he teased.

She rolled on her side to look at him. "You work on that in PT?"

Deacon shook his head. "No, activities of daily living are occupational therapy."

She swatted her hand at him. "Don't tease, Deacon."

He smiled again. "Thank you, Rayna."

"For what?" she asked, her hand trailing over his chest and up along the edge of his face.

"For loving me, for believing that everything could...would be okay."

"Our story isn't over, Deacon. Not yet."

* * *

Rayna sat on the couch reading, thinking about the afternoon. Deacon had gone back to the hospital after dinner, promising to come home after checking on Bev. She smiled as she remembered how it had felt to have Deacon a part of her again, in every way.

She looked over at the clock. It was getting late. She headed upstairs to check on the girls and then headed toward their bedroom. She looked over at his side of the bed, empty and sighed. But even though he wasn't there, she knew where he was, that he was safe and that all would be well.

And for the first time in a long time, without struggle, she slept.

FIN

 _ **Thank you to everyone who read along and especially those who took a moment to share their review. They are most deeply appreciated. - RW**_


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